1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope system in which changing-over of switches within an image display apparatus is performed in interlocking relation to each other by selective operation on the side of a video processor with respect to a plurality of image signals different in mode from each other such as a composite video signal, an RGB signal and the like, to thereby perform display of an endoscope image by an image signal of the selected mode.
2. Related Art and Prior Art Statement
Generally, an endoscope system comprises: a light; source unit for supplying illuminating light, an endoscope, having an elongated inserting section inserted into a body cavity for photoelectrically converting an observed image, within the body cavity which is illuminated by the illuminating light supplied by the light source unit, by an optical or image pickup unit, to electrically produce the observed image as an image-pickup signal; a video processor into which the image-pickup signal produced by the endoscope is inputted and is processed in signal; and an image display apparatus into which an image signal of the video processor is inputted and is displayed in image.
Further, connected to the video processor are electric instruments which output image signals corresponding, respectively, to recorded endoscope images such as peripheral devices related to the endoscope image, such as, for example, a VTR (video tape recorder), an SVR (still video recorder), a V.DISK (video disk recorder) and the like, other than the endoscope. A signal processing section for processing the image-pickup signal of the endoscope and the peripheral devices related to the endoscope image are so arranged as to output image signals different in mode from each other, for example, a composite signal and a Y/C signal, an RGB signal.
Moreover, the image display apparatus has image-signal inputting section in a plurality of systems, and the composite signal, the Y/C signal and the RGB signal, for example, are inputted to the image display apparatus. Accordingly, a selective switch for the composite signal, the Y/C signal, and the RGB signal both on the side of the video processor and on the side of the image display apparatus, is so required as to be selectively changed over, depending upon what any one of the modes output image signal of the endoscope connected to the video processor and selected or output image signals of the peripheral devices related to the endoscope image is.
In the endoscope system of the prior art example, it is required to change over the signal-mode selective switches of both the video processor and the image display apparatus, correspondingly to the mode of the image signal which is outputted by the endoscope connected to the video processor and selected, or the peripheral devices related to the endoscope image. It is complicated or troublesome operation in such prior art to change over both the signal-mode selective switches.
Furthermore, there are the following disadvantages. That is, because in such prior art, there are many cases where the image display apparatus is established in separation from the video process or and operability is further deteriorated. Further, there are many fears to perform false or mistaken operation, such as to select the image signal, or the like, of the device different from the device selected by operation on the side of the video processor.